Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-12-08
fCopwi5hted. 1887 by q " Di1in5haD, III
Rights ReserOed.l
CHAPTER w.
SH All, 7 no ITy

"What fool you arer' was the polite
ejaculation of Mr. Richard Oxford, as they
entered the carriage and were driven away,
- the most Internal ass 1 ever sawr'
''PoMrQuoi - cOolly responded Fairfax.
"I'our9aO, p repeated Dick, in angry aston
ishment. Because the finest girl i'll ail Eu-
rope, not even excepting the Prin6ess-and
admit she's hard to beat-to-night showed
more interest in you than she was ever
known TO show in any man before; and she's
seen every body from the biggest lord down
to the smallest baronet Scores of splendid
follows have been completely gone over her,
and only too ready to treat the faintcst smile
as Sign of hope. Why you consummate
idiot! she waltzed with you, talked with you,
watched you like a lynx all the time, and
what is more, held out her hand to you when
she said Goodnight and it's deuced sell
dom she ever takes the trouble even to say
Goodnight do you hear that, you deaf
and blind dolt! hold out her pretty hand in
her most fascinating manner, and gave you
a look that might have melted any thing but
q senseless blocShead; she said she was
glad to meet you, and actually asked you to
call upon her! Heavens you, an humble,
unheard-of teacher in that low, plebcian
America, to call upon one of our nobility !
Aud you stood by, like a cold block of mar
BILE, and simply nodded that devilish sorrow
smitten head of yours! I'm utterly pros
trated! This is too much for me-"
Dick, after this tremendous burst of ora
tory, the peroratioa Of which was delivered
in the most tragic manner and hair-lifting
tones, entirely collapsed and sank back on
the seat, Hlurmuring, softly:
40 for n drauCht OF vintage,
Cooled long time in the deep-dclved earthr 5"
Even Fairfax could not reprcss smile
he said, quietly:
I'm Sorry'
sorry Why, man she's worth her millions
an only child; and purer and more love-
" being never walked the earth. She is, b.
al odds, the handsorlest woman in the mar
ket today. acznoU edge that the Princess
Is devilish handsome, but she's out of the
4Vcstion-a soul from another world; TO b.
yvorshiped ut . distance; a sort OF cold. pure,
ethereal essence, without 4 being. Beside
all that, you can't get at her. She receives
no visitors, and hasn't for the last two years.
There's no chance there. It's very surpris-
ing that she ever broke her rule to como
here tonight. She's never been out, they
say, since her brothers DEATH
Bat" continued he, turning toward his
comp;.hIon, whats the matter with you ut
any rate! Inever saw man so change N
six short hours
Il think you are mistaken, Dick, with re-
gard to the Lady Lydia. She simply
treated me caSral acquaintance"
Casual fiddlesC:cKs! I'd like to be treat
ed one twentieth as casually, and if were
not Lord Lydia within n twelvemonth it
wouldn't be my fault, l can assure you.
HumphI'
After n moments reelection, the irrepres-
sibie youth continued:
Il must say, my boy, never saw you ap-
pear so well. Never. You looked most
5istiH9ste. The dignity and biGse air you saw
at to assume became you devilish well and
made you the most interesting masculine
there, in the eyes of more than one senti-
mental female. Upon the whole you were
the most noticeable fellow there; and"
added he, with astounding self-complacency,
'.when I'm around, that's saying great
deal. never saw such an altered individ-
ual. Secretly, old fellow, felt proud of
you A fellow who could so coolly receive
the advances of such woman mist neces-
sarily make 4 sensation. Every body was
asking who you were Hang it all. ]